Swaziland is relying solely on SA’s electricity production

SWAZILAND has completely stopped local electrical power production and now relies completely on South Africa for its power supply. Drought has dried up dams used for hydrogeneration of power, including the large Maguga Dam in the northern Hhohho province that is partly owned by South Africa. Eskom is contractually obliged to provide Swaziland with power, but the supplier is not obliged to go above the contracted limit.

This past year, Eskom has alerted Swaziland that domestic demand was straining the supply of electricity for export. The Swaziland Electricity Company (SEC) has instigated periodic load shedding nationwide to cope with the electricity shortfall. While figures for last year are not yet available, electricity usage in Swaziland hit 221.1 megawatts in 2014, up from 214MW the year before. On average, 80 percent of electricity usage is imported from South Africa.

About 60MW of electricity is normally generated by four dams in Swaziland. The SEC has used the shutdown to conduct routine maintenance at hydroelectric plants in Edwaleni, Ezulwini and Maguduza. Swaziland has some independent power producers (IPP). These are mostly sugar estates in the eastern lowveld that generate electricity from ethanol distilled from sugar cane. The IPPs sell surplus power to the SEC. However, at present none are selling electricity and they are not projected to do so before April, the SEC said.

The Swaziland Energy Regulatory Authority has decried Swaziland’s dependence on imported electricity as a threat to the national economy and to national security.

Relief from electricity shortages will only come when drought ends and rainfall resupplies empty dam reservoirs. Restocking of dams is not likely to happen until well into next summer, if normal rainfall returns.